The present invention relates to fruit juices or fruit drinks, especially pasteurized, ready to drink juices. The invention specifically relates to orange juice, though in its braoder aspects it is applicable to other beverages and juice drinks.
Orange juice is purchased by the consumer either as frozen concentrate or as pasteurized, ready to drink juice, either refrigerated or off the shelf. There are several advantages to purchasing ready to drink juice. First, of course, that there is no preparation necessary. Secondly, the ready to drink juice can be sold in convenient individualized containers, whereas even the smallest cans of frozen orange juice typically make about 24 ounces of juice. Finally, a properly pasteurized orange juice can actually be shelf stable without refrigeration.
The disadvantage of ready to drink orange juices, especially if they are pasteurized to such a degree that they can be shelf stable, is that they do not taste like fresh orange juice. It has been well-known for years that pasteurization destroys or drives off, at least to a significant degree, the flavor ingredients which give fresh orange juice its desirable flavor and aroma.
In recognition of this problem, orange juice is typically concentrated in a vacuum chamber so that less heat is required to drive off water. Further, flavor volatiles which are removed during concentration in an evaporator are usually condensed in a fractionating column, along with natural alcohol normally present in orange juice to form a 10 to 15% alcohol solution. The concentrated juice is then often pasteurized at least to some degree and the previously distilled flavor essence is added back to the juice after pasteurization. The resulting mixture is then preserved by freezing.
So called essence oil, another flavor ingredient, is immiscible with the 15% alcohol solution and is physically separated from the distilled alcohol, flavor ingredient solution. Fragrant and flavorful oils from the orange peels (peel oils) are also saved. These oil flavor ingredients, both peel and orange juice oil, are also often added back into the concentrated juice prior to freezing.
Pasteurized, ready to drink juices are typically shipped as pasteurized or frozen concentrate. They are then reconstituted with water at plants located near the ultimate market. The water soluble and oil soluble flavor ingredients are typicaly added back to the juice during reconstitution with water and the resulting reconstituted juice must again be pasteurized before the product can be placed in the stores. Pasteurization is especially required if the juice is to be shelf stable to any degree.
Unfortunately, the pasteurization of the final drinkable strength juice either destroys or drives off the flavor ingredients.
This problem has been recognized by prior artisans for many years. However, no satisfactory solutions have ever been achieved. Consequently, orange juice is most typically sold as a frozen concentrate or as a nonpasteurized, mildly pasteurized or partially pasteurized juice which must be refrigerated and marketed relatively rapidly. Products sufficiently aseptic to have any shelf lift without refrigeration have not been sufficiently flavorful to garner any significant share of orange juice market.